Feeding device for threshing-machines.



No. 779,1"40.' I PATENTEDJAN.-3,1905. G. M. STEVENS & W. W. GILLETT.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR'THRESHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION, FILED JUNE 3, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IATENTED MN :3; 1905' STEVENS & W. W. GILLBTT. FEEDING DEVICE FOR THRESHING MACHINES.

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Witnesses UNTTEE STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT @FFIGE.

GEORGE M. STEVENS AND WILLIAM W. GILLETT, OF PENDLETON, OREGON.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR THRESHING-IVIACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,140, dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed June 3, 1904. Serial No. 211,010.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEoReE M. STEVENS and WILLIAM W. GILLETT, citizens of the United States, residing at Pendleton, in the county of Umatilla and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Feeding Device for Tlireshinglvfachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to feeding devices for threshing-machines; and a special object of the invention is to provide a device of this class which shall be particularly adapted to the purpose of feeding loose grain.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the feeding of the grain to the threshing-cylinder smoothly and evenly and without danger of overfeeding or slugging the machine.

I/Vith these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention becomes better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it being understood, however, that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited; but the right is reserved to all changes, alterations, and modifications which may be resorted to Within the scope of the invention and without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of the same.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a threshing-machine having the improved feeding device connected therewith. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is aside elevation, partly in section.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similar numerals of reference.

In the construction of this device is included the main feeder-casing 1, which has verticallydisposed parallel side walls 2 2 and which is provided at its lower front end with an extension 3, provided at the front end thereof with a door 4, and in the sides of which is journaled a crank-shaft 5. The feeder-casing has an inclined bottom 6, the front end of which is supported by means of a hanger 7 and rods 8 from the upper side of the extension 3, and the rear lower end of which is adapted to rest upon the front edge of the concave of the thresher. as will be seen at 9.

The crank shaft 5 is provided with a sprocket-wheel 10, which is driven by means of a chain 11 from the sprocket-pinion 12 upon a suitably-supported counter-shaft 13. The latter carries a loose pulley 14, which is driven by a band 15 from a pulley 16 upon the shaft 17 of the threshirig-cylinder 18 of the machine in connection with which the improved feeder is used. The counter-shaft 13 also carries a slidably-mounted friction-clutch member 18, which by suitable means may be moved into engagement with the driven pulley 14 when it shall be desired to transmit motion to the shaft 13 and from thence to the operative parts of the feeder.

The bottom 6 of the feeder-casing supports a reciprocatory feed-board or pusher-board 20, which occupies the entire width of the cas ing and which is connected by pitmen 21 with cranks 22, formed in alineinent with each other upon one side of the crank-shaft 5. The latter is also provided with cranks 23 23,extending in opposite directions, each at an angle of ninety degrees to the intermediate cranks 22. Said cranks 23 are connected by pitmen 24 with a pair of feed-boards or pusher-boards 25, supported upon a flooror diaphragm 26 in the feeder-casing a suitable distance above and obliquely with relation to the bottom 6 of said casing. Said diaphragm is provided with slots 26 for the accommodation of the pitmen 24. The pusher-boards 25 are each provided on its upper side with a fish-back 27, serving to positively engage the material which is to be fed and to force such material in the direction of the cylinder of the machine.

It will be observed by reference to the drawings that the pusher-board 20, which is mounted to reciprocate upon the inclined bottom 6,

is guided between said bottom and the lower edge of the diaphragm 26, which contacts with the upper face of the pusher-board 20, so as to prevent straw and other material from entering below the diaphragm. To separate the operating mechanism of the pusher-boards from the straw-containing part of the feedercasing, we mount within the latter a shield or apron 27, of sheet metal or other comparatively flexible material, the lower free edge of which is permitted to rest upon the upper surface of the pusher-boards 25. The lower edges of the latter when at the extreme limits of their movement will abut upon the pusherboard 20, which reciprocates upon the inclined bottom 6 and will serve to push or force the material which is to be fed continuously into the feed-throat of the machine, where it will be taken hold of and operated upon by the cylinder.

For the purpose of supplying the material which is to be' threshed to the feeder-casing an elevator 28 is suitably connected with one side of the latter, the receiving end of said elevator being disposed in any suitable position to conveniently receive the material that is to be operated upon. This elevator has an endless carrier of any ordinary well-known and approved construction, said carrier being supported by wheels or rollers mounted upon shafts 29 near the upper and lower ends of the elevator casing or trough. An intermediatelydisposed shaft 30 is provided with, means for transmitting motion to the endless carrier. The shaft 30 carries at its outer end a bevelgear 31, meshing with a bevel-pinion 32 upon a shaft 33, which is journaled in brackets or bearings 34, suitably connected with the elevator-casing. The short shaft 33 is connected by a knuckle-joint 35 with one end of a tumbling'rod 36, the opposite end of which is connected by a knuckle-joint 37 with the crankshaft 5, from which motion is thus transmitted to the endless carrier. The trough or casing of the latter is provided with uprights, constituting a frame 38, having bearings for a shaft 39, upon which are pivotally mounted a plurality of pickers, the upper ends of which are connected by pitmen 4.1 with a crankshaft 42, having a sprocket-wheel 43, driven by a chain 44: from a sprocket-wheel45 upon the carrier-supporting shaft 29 at one end of the elevator-casing. By this simple mechanism the material. passing over the elevator will be stirred and agitated before it is delivered into the feeder-casing, thus loosening said material to avoid lumps and to rend er the feed as even, steady, and constant as possible.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with thedrawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of. this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. The device, as will be seen, is extremely simple as to the prevented from becoming entangled with the operating-pitmen or with rotary parts of the mechanism.

The lower feed-board 20 of the device may, if desired, be dispensed with, and the apparatus will be thereby simplified. In such case the feeders 25 will be depended upon to perform the requisite work.

Having thus described the invention, what is'claimed is 1. In a feeding device for threshing-machines, a feeder-casing having an inclined removably-supported bottom, supported at its lower end upon the concave of a threshingmachine, a feeder mounted to reciprocate upon said bottom, a diaphragm supported in the feeder-casing above and obliquely with relation to the inclined bottom, and feeders mounted to reciprocate in opposite directions upon 'said diaphragm.

2. In a feeding device for threshing-machines, a feeder-casing having a forward extension and an inclined bottom supported at its front end by a hanger and rods from said extension, and at its rear or lower end upon the concave of a threshing-machine, a diaphragm within the casing, a reciprocatory feeder supported upon the inclined bottom of the latter, oppositely-reciprocatory feeders mounted upon the diaphragm and adapted to abut at their lower ends upon the feeder movable upon the bottom of the casing, and op erating mechanism.

3. In a feeding mechanism for threshing machines, a feeder-casing having an inclined bottom and an inclined, obliquely-disposed diaphragm, a reciprocatory feeder mounted upon the inclined bottom between said bottom and the lower edge of the diaphragm, oppositely reciprocatory feeders mounted upon the diaphragm, a crank-shaft journaled in the sides of the feeder-casing, and pitmen connecting the several feeders with appropriate cranks upon said shaft.

4:. In a feeding device for threshing-ma" chines, a feeder-casing having a forward extension provided with an opening and ahinged closure for the same, an inclined bottom for said feeder-casing removably supported upon the concave of a threshing-machine and upon a hanger supported by rods from the extension of the feeder-casing, reciprocatory feeders disposed in vertical series within the casing, and a shield suspended within the latter and supported at its lower free edge upon the uppermost feeders.

ISO

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5. In a feeding device for threshing-machines, a feeder-casing, reciprocatory feeders disposed in vertical series Within said casing, a diaphragm separating said feeders, means for operating said feeders, and a shield suspended Within the casing supported at its lower free edge upon the uppermost feeders.

6. In a feeding device for threshing-machines, a feeder-casing having an inclined removably-supported bottom, a diaphragm supported in the feeder-casing above and oband feeders mounted to reciprocate in oppo-- site directions upon said diaphragm.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE M. STEVENS. WILLIAM W. GILLETT.

Witnesses:

THos. FITZGERALD, W. T SHEPPARD. 

